The Tivoli Story

With 150 years of brewing in Colorado, our roots run deep. Following the method of our German forefathers, we continue to lager our beer to this day. It’s not an easy process, or an inexpensive one, but we believe it is the right way to brew. We painstakingly craft our beers over 42 days to bring out the true flavors of each recipe. We take a lot of pride in knowing that when we put a beer on the table, we know it will be smooth, crisp and full of flavor. You see, we believe that beer has a soul, and to that we must hold true while also striving to find modern ways to enhance it.

Brewing is a time-honored art and we believe in sharing our knowledge and expertise to further our craft. Our brewery has been located in the same building since 1859. When we reopened our doors in 2015, we did so as a state-of-the-art craft brewery in what is now the heart of the Auraria college campus. Our partnership with MSU’s brewing program allows us to blend traditional techniques with 21st century ideas. It’s an honor to open up our brewery as a teaching facility to help spark the next generation of brewmasters.

As with everything, we seek to find the right combination between the old and new. When you step into our building our old world spirit will make you feel right at home, and you’ll find there’s an energy that makes you want to stay. We have nothing to hide, and you’ll see that in our taproom. Behind the glass walls our original brewing equipment is surrounded by the latest in brewing technology. You’ll find that same clarity in our beers and taste the difference when we put a pint on your table.

Tivoli has been a part of Colorado from its beginning and we’ve always strived to forge strong bonds within our community. Through community outreach and partnerships we pour our heart into making our city, state and brewery a better place. We’re here to make a difference and you can rest assured that we always aim to do it the right way. If you’re not sure what we mean, grab a bottle or pint and you’ll quickly understand.

Tivoli…always press onward.

How it Began

Historic Brewers

John Good The father of the Tivoli brand. Good was a German immigrant that arrived with the Gold Rush. He opened a mercantile store for which he personally imported items including otherwise unavailable brewing ingredients. Good was a major contributor to the foundation of Denver. He was a partner with Rocky Mountain Brewery where he brewed the first batch of Helles lager in 1859. He left RMB to found a German bank in Denver which ultimately led to his ownership of this building.

Moritz Sigi Sigi brought this building to life. He specialized in brewing buck beers, a Colorado unique style of ales that are brewed as lagers. Tivoli Sigi’s Wild Horse is a close replica of Sigi’s original beer and named for the horrific horse accident that ended his life.

Max Melsheimer Melsheimer brought the Milwaukee Brewery to this building in 1891. He significantly expanded the brewing capacity of the building, but was unable to earn enough revenue to repay his loan to the German bank. This resulted in foreclosure and John Good’s ownership of the building.

Historic Equipment

Ammonia Condenser This is the first form of commercial refrigeration. Before this, brewing beer required harvesting ice from the mountains. This limited production in seasons with less ice. Vilter Mfg Co designed this to eliminate the need for harvested ice.

Westinghouse #002 This is the second A/C generator unit that George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla produced. The first model lit the White City at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Steam-powered generators allowed for longer work hours and reduced fire hazards from oil lamps.

Copper Kettles The 250-barrel copper kettles were installed in 1890. They are steam-heated duel-jacketed kettles designed for yearly production of up to 600,000 barrels. In 2015, they were valued at an estimated $300,000 USD in copper alone.

1859

October 24, 2018

John Good comes to Colorado and the Tivoli Brewing Company begins operations in Auraria.